Chris Froome

[Hibs Class]

Saw this story earlier; the idea that the Tour de France has a reputation capable of being damaged by a doping controversy is laughable.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44674282

[patch1875]

It’s amazing how many of these top cycling athletes have asthma.

[CropleyWasGod]

It’s amazing how many of these top cycling athletes have asthma.It's very common amongst elite athletes.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/28/asthma-elite-athletes-study-swimmers-cyclist-eid

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[McSwanky]

I've watched cycling since the days of 'Big Mig' but it's dead to me as a spectator sport now. This was one controversy too far.

Whether or not Froome is guilty doesn't really matter to me as he's no doubt been on a pretty thin line, as most pro cyclists are these days. The problem for me is that the sport is now tainted beyond repair. Every race winner will have fingers pointed, particularly multiple race winners.

The sport has gone the way of F1 as a spectacle now. No longer do we marvel at the achievements of the sportsman first as there are now so many more things in play, be it how good the designers are, or how good the doctors are.

Saddens me to see this, and I can't blame Sky for their 'marginal gains' approach as it clearly works, but it's killed it for me.

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[JeMeSouviens]

I've watched cycling since the days of 'Big Mig' but it's dead to me as a spectator sport now. This was one controversy too far.

Whether or not Froome is guilty doesn't really matter to me as he's no doubt been on a pretty thin line, as most pro cyclists are these days. The problem for me is that the sport is now tainted beyond repair. Every race winner will have fingers pointed, particularly multiple race winners.

The sport has gone the way of F1 as a spectacle now. No longer do we marvel at the achievements of the sportsman first as there are now so many more things in play, be it how good the designers are, or how good the doctors are.

Saddens me to see this, and I can't blame Sky for their 'marginal gains' approach as it clearly works, but it's killed it for me.

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As you probably already know, Indurain was 100% certainly doped as well. Ironically, pro-cycling is probably as clean as it's ever been just now. Unfortunately, that's not very clean.

[McSwanky]

As you probably already know, Indurain was 100% certainly doped as well. Ironically, pro-cycling is probably as clean as it's ever been just now. Unfortunately, that's not very clean.

Yes, I do. And I agree with your post.

Maybe I didn't explain myself very well, but what I'm saying is that it's the inevitable suspicion of anything remotely 'good' which has broken this particular camel's back. Blissful ignorance was better!

It's sad, as there is no doubt that every single participant in pro cycling is an exceptional athlete, and their achievements should be lauded, but I just can't see how cycling is ever going to get away from this.

[JeMeSouviens]

Yes, I do. And I agree with your post.

Maybe I didn't explain myself very well, but what I'm saying is that it's the inevitable suspicion of anything remotely 'good' which has broken this particular camel's back. Blissful ignorance was better!

It's sad, as there is no doubt that every single participant in pro cycling is an exceptional athlete, and their achievements should be lauded, but I just can't see how cycling is ever going to get away from this.

Yep, agree with that. Athletics pretty much the same. I suspect we are generally blissfully ignorant about other sports (tennis and top level football for starters) at the moment.

[Sergio sledge]

Cycling is so tainted it is hard to have any faith in any of the riders. Rumours and innuendo surround most of the top riders and Chris Froome is no different, when you look at his career before 2012 and post 2012, it is hard to see how this improvement (set in the context of how much of a doping problem cycling has) being due to anything other than doping. When you see performances like Froomes in the Giro earlier this year it is difficult to marvel at his performance in stage 19 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/44372328 without thinking it was dodgy. Maybe 15 years ago we would have been amazed at the performance and celebrated it, but now everyone (including the other riders) looks at in suspicion. "He did a Landis" was what one of them said.

Mind you, you look at rugby, football, athletics, tennis, etc. and think that there is no way some of these sportspeople are doing what they are able to do clean. Perhaps cycling is taking most of the flak because they are better at, or more bothered about, testing than these other sports.